Feeler mechanism for looms



July 7, 1925. 1,545,459

. l. SNOW FEELER miacmmxsm FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 26.192 1 2 sheets-sheet 2 I ##TORNE? Patented July 7, 1925,

* UNITED STATES P A TE N F CE.

I SAAC SNOW, OELAWRENGE, MASSACHUSETTi-i, ASSIGNORTO DRAPER CORPORATION, OF HOIEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ,A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

EEELER mnonemsivi-roeroons.

ApplicationfiledDccember'26 1Q24. s r aino. 758,064.

theaccompanying drawings, is a ,specifica time, like oh aracters on the drawings representing like parts. e

This invention relates'toloo-ms and more particularly to feelei' lnechanisms whereby when the filling intheshuttle has become substantially eiihausted, the operative con dition of theloom is changed. Thlschange in the operativecondition of the loom may resultin either loom stoppage or filling replenishment, and in the present instanceit will be shown and described in connection with a train of mechanisnrior replenishing the :[illingin the shuttle ,when the feeler detects substantial exhaustionvon at detecting.

beat. I

Inasmuch as the function of the feeler mechanism is to changethe,,operativecondition of the'loom when the filling issubstantially exhausted on a detectingbeat, the

present invention contemplates n'ieans for holding the feeler in an inactive position for periods of time and then,permittingthe feeler to discharge its feeling functionv during one or more detecting beats and in case a working snpply of. filling isprese-nt in the shuttle to again hold the 'leeler inactive until, when the feeler detects: a near approachto substantial exhaustion of filling, it will remain inaction to call for achange of filling when'that inthe shuttle is substantially exhausted. Feelermechanisms of this general type are now generally known as intermittent ieelers because theylhave periods oit activity alternatmgwrth periods of inactivity during weavingewith the same supply of filling in the shuttlefthereby avoiding the recurring contacts "of the feeler with the filling on each detecting beat until the critical period isapproached.

In accordance with the present invention,

the controlling means i or the feeler is dis posed back ofthe breast beam or shipper stand, which reino vesthe controlling means from interference with the manipulation of the loom and permits the controlling means to be actuated. from time attendants tortime by a cain followerwhich may preferably take the-form offthe weftfork hammer, and inasmuchasthe weft hammer or cam follower continues its operative movements during weaving, the controlling means, in accordance with the presentinvention, is constructed and arranged for non-actuationby the camiollower or veiit hammer for periods time, and to be then movedfinto the path or {movement or the cam follower or-weftha nmer to periodically .release the liactuator to its 'ifeeling function. i a p The invention and new combination of parts wilLbest be made clear from the following descriptioni, and the accompanying drawings of one good form thereofisvhere-in the means for controllingtlie feeler is actu" In theillustratedforni of the invention, the feeler is shown flS OflI the inclined type, substantiallyas disclosed in the patent to Edward S. Stimp-son, No. 1,309,226, July 8, 1919, .and while the advantages oijthe present I invention are well-manifested in connectionivithj this type of feeler mechanisn1, it.is understoood tha-tjit may be ad;

Vantageouslyemployed with other types.

The replenishingmechanisrnfor furnisha ing ,the [shuttle with a fresh? supply of filling when the fe'eler: detects substantial exhaustion of the fillingin the shuttle, is not herein shown and described, because the details thereof form no part of the present invention and are now well understood by those familiar with filling replenishinglooms.

The loom frame may be of usual constructio nand in the present instance the breast hasiextending therefrom a ship} per stand 1 having a slot 2 through which the shipper 3 extends, and so far as the present invention is concerned, the shipper stand may be regarded'as part of the breast beam.

Mounted upon the loom frame is a train of mechanism for effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler detects substantial exhaustion thereof in the shuttle, such train of mechanismas shown comprising an arm 4 extending upwardly from the usual transverse or rock shaft (not shown) having pivotally connected thereto at 5 the rearwardly extending arm 6, the rear end portion of which has pivoted thereto at 7 a finger 8 the end portion 9 of which is adapt ed at times to be engaged by the cam follower 10 or a part associated therewith. The finger 8 has a projection 11 which overlies one arm 12 of a .bell crank lever pivoted at 13 to a support 15 which may be conveniently secured to the breast beam or shipper stand by a bolt 16. The other arm 17 of the bell crank lever is connected toa transmitter 18 which is joined at 19 with a slide 20 through which the feeler 21 ex tends. The slide 20 is guided in its lateral movement by suitable guideways at the rear of thefeeler stand as at 22, which may be conveniently formed as part of or connected to the feeler stand 23, and the feeler stand 23 may itself be adjustably connected to the shipper stand or an arm extending therefrom by a bracket 24, to the upper portion of which the feeler stand may be secured by a bolt 25. At its front portion the feeler stand has a swivel block 26 through which the frontwardly extending stem27 of the feeler passes and a spring 28 interposed between the swivel block 26 and a collar or bridge 29 secured to the feeler and normally acting upon the feeler to move it rearwardly or to its feeling position. The parts so far described may be of usual construction and Similar to the corresponding parts in the patent to Stimpson, hereinbefore mentioned. 7

The lay 30 is shown as of usual construction and provided with ashuttle box 31,

the front wall of which is provided with any opening32 which registers with an opening 33 in the front wall of the shuttle 34 when the latter is properly positioned in the shut-v tle box, so that on the beat-up movement of tion'with the filling. The detent as shown comprises an arm 37 pivotally mounted at 38 on the feeler stand and has a rearwardly extending portion 39-with a down-turned toe 40'laterally projecting at 41, Fig. 1. The detent is normally under the influence of a spring tending to move the frontwardly extending arm 37 of the detent laterally into engagement with the stem of the feeler, and in the present instance the spring 42 is connected at one end at 43- with a pin projecting from the feeler stand and at its other end to a pin 44 on the detent.

The function of the detent is to hold the feeler in its frontward non-cooperative relation with the filling during the periods of inactivity of the feeler and by pressing laterally upon the frontwardly extending stem of the feeler to impart to the feeler a suflicient lateral movement to swing it about its bearing in the swivel block 26 and thereby carry the rear end portion of the feeler laterally into a'position such that the feeler will not contact with the filling on detecting beats during its periods of inactivity. This position of the parts is indicated in Fig. 2 wherein the dotted line position of the feeler indicates its contacting and frontward movement under the impulse.

of a working supply of filling in the shuttle, and its full line position shows the feeler in its inactive position swung laterally by the detent into non-contacting relation with the filling on subsequent detecting beats during its periods of inactivity.

To insure that the detent will not cause movement of the slide 20- to effect replenislr ment of filling a limiting stop is provided which limits the lateral movement of the feeler when in its inactive position and under control of the detent. As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, this stop is preferably formed as a projection 45 which, when the detent has been moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat and is thereupon engaged by the detent, will engage a wall 46 of the rear bearing or guide 22 and thus limit the lateral movement of the feeler under the lateral stress of the detent. Should the feeler, however, detect a near approach to exhaustion of filling in. the shuttle on a detecting beat when the feeler is in its active position, it will. not be moved frontwardly sufliciently far to cause the detent to engage the toothed stem. of the feeler nor will the projection or stop 45 be moved frontwardly sufficiently far to engage the wall 46, with the result that the feeler is then free to function, to call for a change of filling, when substantial exhaustion of the filling is detected in the shuttle. V

In accordance with the present invention, the'feeler is to be held in frontward inoperative relation with the fi ng y he detent during itsperiods of inactivity and is tobe freed from the detentat intervals topermit the feel er to move to feelingiposi tion, and in accordance with ,the present invention, this is effected through a trip device normally out, of engaging relation with the cam follower orweftdiammer and moved into cooperative relation therewith from time .to i time ,through' a train of mechanism operated from .a going part of the loom. i

As shown in the present instanceof the invention, the take-uporsandrroll ,4t7, has its shaft 48 extended laterally and is pro vided with ,a :rotary member or gear 49 which, of course, isgivenrotary movement bythetalre-up or sand-roll as thecloth is taken upduring weaving, andsuch rotary member oivgear 49 is provided with means for movingthetrip device'into cooperative relation with [the camfollower orweft hammer ,from time to time, wherebythe trip may be actuated, by the weftvhammer to effect release of the, f'eeler fron'rthe .detent.

lnthe present instance oflthe invention, the rotary inember or gear .t9is provided with a series of iteeth 5O.Which are engaged with the teeth 51 of a rotary member or gear 52 supported,rearwardly thereof by a swinging arnr53 ,pivotally mounted at 5% on a bracket 55 which may be secured to. the breastbeam or shipper stand,,as shown in Eig.;3, by means of suitable-bolts 56. :If desirechthe bracket 55,may1be adjusted towards and from the front of jtheloomby loosening the bolts ,516 and moving ,it in the desired direction, suchinovementbeing permitted by the openings or slots;,57 in the bracket. The support for-the gear 52 here shown as constituted-by the swinging arms 53 has a stop 58 whichlimits its movement by engagen'ient with a portion of the bracket andthe, arms 53 preferably two of them, between which the ,gear 52 is mounted, isnormally under the influence of a spring 59, one end of avhicli issecured to a stationary part, such forinstance, as..a pinbO projecting from the breastbeam or shipper stand,and theotherend of which is connected to a pinGlouthesWinging arms. i i

One of the gears d9 or 52 is provided with a tootlrof less depththa-nthe teeth of the respective gears, and in, the presentinstance the gear 52 is shown, as provided withsuch shallow toot-h as at 62, which maybe formed shallow by an integral portion of the tooth, as shown, atUthe ight Fig 3, or if desired, an adjusting screwfl63 nay betappedinto the space between two of the teeth and formthe shallowportiontherebetween'. In either case, however, as the respective gears 4:9,and .52 are rotated duringfihe,take-up, the gear 52 will be moved rearwardlytwhen the more shallow tooth thereof passes into tion with the cam follower or weft hammer. V

In the present instance of the invention the supports 53 carrying the gear 52 have a foot ('34: extended rearwardly therefrom, and on such support fi l is mounted the trip 65 which, in the present instance, is shown as a leverpivoted'at 66 upon the support (35 and extending in opposite directions therefrom, as indicated in'Figs. 1 and 2.

hen the support or the gear 52 is moved by the interengaging of the teeth of the gear 49 with the'shallow tooth of the gear 5 2, the support 65 will be moved rearwardly to place the end portion 67 of the trip into the path of movement of the cam follower or weft hammer 10, with the result that on the next forward movement of the weft hammer, the trip 65 will be moved about itspivotal support to cause it to act upon the detent and trip the latter from engage inentwith the feeler so that the'feeler may move to feeling position. i

Tie trip 65 has a trip end portion 68 pivotally mounted at (39' on the end of the trip and normally under the influence of a spring 70, liig. 1, and is free to swing against the tension of the spring in one direction but is prevented from swinging moven ient in the opposite direction by interenp ging stops 71, Fig. 2, the construction being such tliatxwhcn the trip 65 is moved from its normal position, as indicated by fulll mes in Fig 2,,to exerc se ts tr pp ng fimct on, the pivoted trip 68 willengage the toe ilfof the detent and trip the feeler, but when the trip this moved from its rearwardor dotted: line position,

Fig". 2, into its front position,indicated by full lines, I? 2, the trip end 68 will ride over the end of the toe 41 of the detent and yield to permit the trip 65 to assume its initial position. b V

Vhenrthe support 6 f has moved the trip into its cooperative relation with the cam follower or weft hammer and the shallow tooth of the inter-meshing gears has passed, thespring' 59 will again move the support frontwardly to carry the trip out of the path of movement ofthe weft hammer, and toinsure at such time that the trip end 68 of the trip may pass frontwardly of the detent. toe ,ll, the arm 67 of the trip is provided with a hunter 72 which may be adjustably secured to the arm 67 as by a threaded end of the hunter and the holding nuts 73. The bunte1q72- is positioned for engagement with the shaft 48 of the takeup or other part, so that when the support Lil 64 on which the trip is pivoted is moved. frontwardly, as described, from its active position, the hunter 7 2 will engage the fixed part or shaft 48 and cause the end trip 68 to move frontwardly into its position relative to the toe of the trip, as indicated in Fig. 2. a

From the construction described, as indieating one form of the present invention, it will be noted that the feeler is held in a frontward non-cooperative relation with the filling during its periods of inactivity and is released at intervals to assume its feeling position by means of a trip which is given its tripping function by the cam follower or weft hammer and is normally out of the path of movement thereof, but is placed in the path of movement of the cam follower or weft hammer at intervals and is thereafter again moved to its inoperative position. While the present invention is shown as effecting such movement of the trip through a train of gears from the take-up, it is evident, of course, that the trip may be otherwise actuated within the scope of the present invention to move it bodily into and out of cooperative relation with a going part of the loom, and applicant believes himself to be the first in the art to provide a trip which is moved at intervals into the path of an actuator to effect release of the feeler and is then moved into an inoperative position with relation to the actuator to permit the feeler to be held in its frontward inactive position, and while the mechanism described is one embodiment of the inven tion in these respects, it is evident that such mechanism may be varied within the true scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

The cam follower or weft hammer 10 is mounted, as usual, to rock upon a support 74, Fig. 1, and its rearwardly extending arm 75 has a. shoe 76 which rides upon a cam 7 on a cam shaft 78 to impart to the cam follower or weft hammer its usual movement towards and from the front of the loom.

What is claimed is:

1. In a loom, the combination of a feeler to detect the condition of the filling in the shuttle, a device for holding the feeler in an inoperative position, means for freeing the feeler from said device at intervals, a cam follower, and mechanism for placing the feeler freeing means in operative relation with the cam follower at intervals that the feeler may have periods of activity and-hr a going part of theloom that it may be actuated to free the feeler.

3. In a loom, the combination of a feeler, a device for holding the feeler out of cooperative relation with the filling, and means periodically moved into a position for actuation by the cam follower to free the feeler from the holding device. 7

4. In a loom, the combination of a feeler, a device for holding the feeler out of cooperative relation with the filling, a trip for said device, a movable support for the trip, and means acting periodically for moving the trip support to place the trip inoperative relation with a going part of the loom.

5. In a loom, the combination of a feeler, means for holding the feeler from cooperative relation with the filling, a device for freeing the feeler from said means, acam follower normally out of coperative relation with said device,and means for relatively moving said device and'cam follower into cooperative relation to free the feeler from said holding means at intervals.

6. In a loom, the combination of a feeler, means for holding the feeler from cooperative relation with the filling, a device for freeing the feeler from said means, a cam follower normally out of cooperative relation with said device, a movable support for said device, and means for moving the support periodically to place said device in position to be actuated by the cam follower.

7 In a loom, the combination of a feeler, means for holding the feeler in a retracted frontward position, a trip for freeing the feeler from said means, an actuator for the trip with relationto which'the trip normally occupies an inoperative position, and means for periodically moving the trip into the range of movement of the actuator to free the feeler at intervals that it may have active and inactive periodsduring weaving.

.8. In a loom,the combination of a feeler, means for holding the feeler in frontward retracted position, a trip supported back of the shipper stand, a trip actuating member with relation to which the trip is normally inoperatively positioned, and means for moving the trip periodically into operative relation with theactuating member that it may release the feeler from the holding means periodically.

9. Ina loom, the combination of a feeler, means for holding the feeler in a frontward retracted position, a trip supported between the lay andshipper stand for freeing the feeler from the holding means, a cam follower, and means for periodically placing the trip and cam follower in operative relation that the feeler may have periods of activity and inactivity during weaving.

10. In a loom, the combination of afeeler, means for holding the feeler in a frontward position, a trip for freeing the feeler from said means, an actuator for the trip, and means operated from the take-up for placing the trip and trip actuator in operative relation at intervals.

11. In a loom, the combination of a feeler, means for holding the feeler in a frontward position, a trip for freeing the feeler, an actuator for the trip, and means for bodily moving the trip to and from operative relation with the actuator at intervals during weaving.

12. In a loom, the combination of a feeler, means for holding the feeler in a frontWard position. a trip for freeing the feeler, a cam folio wer, and means for moving the trip into the path of the cam follower at inter vals.

13. In a loom, the combination of a feeler, means for holding the feeler in a frontward position, a trip for freeing the feeler, a cam follower, and means operated from the takeup for moving the trip into the path of the cam follower at intervals.

l i. In av loom, the combination of a feeler, means for holding the feeler in a frontward position, a trip for freeing the feeler atintervals, a support for the trip, a cam follower, and means for moving the trip support at intervals to place the trip in position to be actuated by the cam follower.

15. In a loom, the combination of a cam follower, a feeler, means for holding the feeler in a frontward retracted position, a trip for freeing the feeler, a support for the trip at the rear of the shipper stand normally supporting the trip in an inoperative position, a cam follower, and means active at intervals to move the trip support and place the trip in the path of movement of the cam follower.

16. In a loom. the combination of the cam follower, a feeler, means for holding the feeler in a frontward position, a trip, a support for the trip, and means for moving the trip support towards and from the rear of the loom at intervals to place the trip in position to be actuated by the cam follower from time to time that the feeler may have periods of activity and inactivity during weaving.

17. ln a loom, the combination of a feeler, means for holding it in a frontward position, a trip for freeing the feeler, a trip support, a rotary element connected to the takeup having a part to move the trip support at intervals and operatively position the trip, and an actuator for operating the trip when in its operative position to free the feeler from the holding means.

18. In a loom, the combination of a cam follower, a feeler mounted for movement in a direction longitudinallyof the shuttle, means acting laterally upon the front end portion of the feeler to move the rear end of the feeler laterally beyond the reach of the filling, and a trip actuated at intervals by the cam follower to free the feeler from the holding means.

19. In a loom, the combination of a feeler mounted for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, a detent acting laterally upon the front end portion of the feeler to move the rear end laterally beyond the reach of the filling, a projection on the rear end of the feeler to engage a part connected to the feeler stand to limit the lateral movement of the feeler under the action of the detent and thereby prevent premature replenishment of filling by the action of the detent on the feeler, and a trip for freeing the feeler from the detent at intervals.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC SNOW. 

